Jazz Loses Room With A View

Sung to the tune of “Cry Me a River”: Alexander's on the 23rd floor of the downtown Hilton—the skyscraping jazz-bôite with spectacular manifest -destiny views of this fair city—will close its doors, wheezing its final rendition of “Stardust” on December 16. And while jazz-jam godfather Ron Steen was given some notice on the loss of his four-night-a-week gig, they initially neglected to inform the Portland Jazz Festival who'd contracted for seven nights there this coming February— Tracy Marks, Hilton GM, said they will “honor” that commitment.

Marks adds that while they'd've liked to continue regular music, the current “upside-down financial situation” of presenting jazz didn't warrant a reprieve. Sadly the room, which harkened back to pre-JFK, martini-fueled, cosmopolitan penthouse lounges, will probably join the ranks of other former jazz clubs and either become a karaoke bar, a strip club, or more likely mature into a nondescript, beige corporate meeting-space for drive-by banquets, bar mitzvahs, and weddings.

Photo: The view from the famous Alexander's men's bathroom.